Smoke and Shadows
by solitaryloner
Summary: Shadow and Phantom are master thieves. Stealing things in the dead of night, they have never once been caught. One day, Shadow is told to steal a jewel, called Aria, from a neighbouring kingdom. A jewel so beautifully flawless that no one but the royals are allowed to see it. But what Shadow doesn't know is, the jewel isn't what it seems to be...NeroIA, LenMiku. For LunarMoonWater.


_**Solitaryloner: **__Well, this is a one shot for LunarMoonWater. I'm sorry I didn't post it up sooner, sweetie - I accidentally deleted all my drafts and everything, so I had to rewrite it._

_Pairing is NeroXIA. I know it says LenXMiku in the summary, but that's only in the next part. For this one shot, there isn't much - or any at all, actually - of that pairing. Technically, this will be a two shot, but LunarMoonWater only requested for the first part, so there we go._

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_Thief (noun): A person who steals._

_Master (adjective): Someone who is fully qualified for a particular job or activity._

_Shadow (noun): Darkness, or partial darkness, caused by the lack of (direct) light._

_Phantom (noun): A ghost, a spectre, or an apparition. A supernatural being._

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The young guard shivered. It was a chilly night out, and the darkness of night crept up upon him, making him jump at the slightest noise.

His fellow guard, an old, grizzled man with far more experience than his counterpart, laughed quietly at the other man's nervousness. ''Aye, ye be looking out for them phantoms now, you would,'' he chuckled. ''I don't see what you have to fear though, young 'un. Ain't no such things as ghosts. Them who lie lurking in the dark...'' the older man paused, causing his companion to stiffen in trepidation, ''much worse, they are.''

''Them...?'' the younger man echoed, his fingers curling tightly around the shaft of his spear. He was new here, and he had little experience with any kind of work. This was his first job - other than working in the coal mine, of course - and he scarcely knew what to expect. However, despite being young, he knew precisely what his older companion was talking about, and the very thought made him shiver. ''The thieves?''

''Aye,'' the guard nodded, his voice soft - so soft that the young man had to strain his ears, just to hear what he was saying. ''Phantom and Shadow, two master thieves of the night, they are. Something of a legend round these 'ere parts,'' he winked jauntily. ''Only problem, they ain't any old legends, they're not. They're very much real, and they're out to steal your soul from you. Bring it to Satan for him to dine on.''

The younger man flinched, his gaze snapping swiftly around as the flame of the torches around them flickered. The dark shadows were long and menacing, and it gave the older guard's words a strange, threatening ring of...truth. But the young man knew that all these were nought but stories. ''Phantom and Shadow don't exist,'' he said, trying to sound dismissive. ''They're no more than tales. Made up to scare young 'uns into sleeping at night, that's all.''

''That's just what they want you to think,'' the other man answered, his whisper becoming softer, if such a thing was even possible. ''In part, methinks. No one's heard from Phantom in years. Shadow, on the other hand...he's very, very alive, he is. And he's out to rob and steal everything we own. Turning us penniless while he basks in our wealth, he does,'' there was a strange undercurrent of respect in his voice.

''S'not possible,'' the young guard muttered. ''It just ain't the truth, you raving madman. Tales of Shadow and Phantom have been 'round for years. Centuries. Them two can't still be alive, not for four hundred years. Not natural, it isn't. They ought to be rotting and buried, down in the ground, no more than 'armless skeletons. If they even existed in the first place, that is,'' he shrugged, still trying to sound uncaring. ''No one even knows what them two look like, really.''

''Well, some people say that Shadow has blond hair, and violet eyes. Like amethyst jewels, they say. As for Phantom, he's blond like his friend, but he has blue eyes. Piercing eyes blue enough to drown in. Whether or not that's true, I dunno. It's all just rumour and hearsay, you know,'' the guard coughed into his hand, looking up at the moon. ''And aye. Their lives...they've lived for much longer than us all. It's not...right, true.''

The light of the torches flickered again, this time accompanied by the sound of a howl. A wolf, it seemed. It was a long distance off, but the young guard flinched nevertheless. This was a strange night. The howl of a wolf was never a good sign. He tried to keep his eyes away from his shadow - the dancing light of the flickering torches made his shadow seem...alive. Shadow. The legendary master thief of the night...

''Ye know, folks say that Shadow and Phantom...they made deals with the Devil himself, they did,'' the old guard crossed himself, clasping his hands together as he said those words. ''To give them both true immortality and eternal youth. Whether or not that's true...eh, I dunno either. All I know is that Shadow is still around,'' he chuckled. ''Stole my neighbour's treasure, he did,'' the man added, turning serious.

The youth blinked, looking up at the other man. ''Wait. Shadow did what?'' he asked, his voice loud in the surrounding darkness. Instantly, he quietened, trying not to draw any attention towards himself...the attention of any creature which might be lurking in the night. The older guard just shrugged, his eyes acquiring a somewhat distant look. The youth glanced back at the main gates of the castle, shivering.

He was supposed to be guarding these gates with his companion, but given the mood the other man was in tonight, he doubted that they would be able to hold off any potential attackers for long. At least there were plenty of reinforcements scattered all over the place. Just in case anything really happened on their watch. ''Well, Shadow...him and Phantom, they're best friends, or so I've heard. They always leave their mark behind. Either a S, or a P shape.''

''So that's how your neighbour knew that the thief was Shadow? There was a S shape there somewhere?'' the younger guard asked, drawn into the conversation, even against his will. The man nodded wisely, letting his spear lean against the stone wall of the castle behind him. ''But how would you know it was Shadow?'' the youth argued. ''Might've been a prankster of some sort. Trying to make some joke or not.''

''Ah, that's what my neighbour thought at first, too,'' the older man sighed. ''Then he realised that it couldn't be possible. He was in the same room as his treasure, and his precious...thing, it disappeared from right under his nose. Shadow, he wants to make an impression. He went in, stole the treasure, and was out in less than five seconds. And he left his usual mark behind. He enters and leaves as quick as a shadow, see?''

''Less than five seconds?'' the young man scoffed. ''S'not possible,'' he repeated. ''Ain't no one can pop into someone's house, steal their valuables right in front of 'em, and leave within five seconds...not without getting caught. Maybe your neighbour just dropped it or somethin', and he thought it was stolen...it's just not right,'' the youth shook his head, convinced in his belief that Shadow was nought but a mere legend.

The older man grunted. ''Ain't no point trying to convince hard-headed fools,'' he grumbled. ''It's just like talking to a brick wall, it is,'' the young man glared at his companion for that, and he opened his mouth, preparing to retort. But then, before he could say anything, a sudden scream rang out through the castle compound. At once, the two guards whipped around, their earlier disagreement forgotten as they stiffened.

''Thief!'' the shrill cry of a woman rang out through the otherwise silent night. ''A thief has stolen my diamond necklace!'' the two guards, at the sound of this, rushed into the castle itself, shocked by the fact that someone had managed to sneak their way past the both of them. The younger guard glanced at his companion, not sure of how to react in this kind of situation. The older guard looked grim, and he shivered.

''How can any thief make their way past all our defences and not get caught?'' the young man questioned, aloud. ''We've got guards at every little station, and nary a mouse can sneak past us without getting caught. Do you think she just lost her necklace and thought it stolen? You know what the Lady is like. Always kicking up a fuss over nothin','' he laughed nervously, trying - albeit unsuccessfully - to reassure himself.

''Nay,'' the other man shook his head. ''The Lady may not be the sharpest woman out there, but she ain't stupid. If she says it's gone, it's gone,'' the two of them stopped in the middle of the castle grounds, staring up at the window of the Lord and Lady's room. Light shone out of the lone window, a woman's desperate crying drifting out of the opening, into the night. ''But no thief should have bypassed us all...''

''We should've seen them, or something. Maybe the other guards did,'' the youth suggested, feeling a little helpless. The other man shot his companion a scathing look, and the youth shut his mouth, feeling a little offended by the look of disdain the other guard had given him. This was his first time being involved in this kind of situation - wouldn't it be fair if his companion gave him room for error, here and there?

''If any of the other guards saw the thief, the thief wouldn't have made it this far,'' the older man commented. ''Always shout for backup before we engage in fights, remember? Ain't surprised we missed him, though,'' he mused. ''No thief would just waltz through the front gates of a castle, 'specially not with less than noble intentions...'' he shifted, and the light of the full moon shone past him, onto the door.

The heavy wooden door of the castle was bare in the silver light of the moon, and something on that door caught the younger guard's sharp eyesight. Curious, he moved forward, followed closely by his concerned companion - when he managed to make out what was on the door, he lurched backwards, his heart suddenly racing in his chest. There, scratched onto the thick timber of the door, was a single letter. A letter S.

The letter was gaunt and stark, like whoever had written it had gouged out the timber with his fingernails. The young man approached the letter warily, tracing it with his fingers - it was etched deep into the wood, so deep that he knew this was not the work of one's fingers. A sword, more likely._ Shadow always leaves behind his mark, for his latest victims. Then he's gone, swift and silent as a shadow..._

''What did I tell you?'' the older man laughed, having caught sight of the letter scratched onto the door. ''Shadow was here. Shadow has struck again,'' he warned the dumbstruck youth, his voice turning quiet. ''Shadow is coming back!''

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The blond youth - almost a man, but not quite - yawned and stretched, his violet eyes heavy-lidded with sleep. ''What time is it?'' he asked, his voice groggy, a sleepy frown on his face.

''Four in the afternoon,'' came the droll reply. The blond haired youth glanced in the direction of the voice - there the speaker was, his gaze fixed resolutely on the book he was holding in his hands. ''You've slept the whole day away,'' the other boy continued, ''and I would have thought you dead were it not for the fact you were still breathing,'' he flipped a page, a look of boredom evident in his cerulean eyes.

''We can't die, Phantom, old friend,'' the first boy said affably. He sprang to his feet, leaping off the bed nimbly as he darted over to his friend's side. ''Unless the gods decide to kill us. And even then, we might still survive,'' he laughed quietly to himself. ''Ah, the perks of being an immortal, don't you think?'' he clapped his friend's back. The other boy just continued staring at the book, ignoring him. He sighed.

''You know,'' he said carefully, feeling his friend stiffen next to him, ''you really ought to stop moping about the whole being turned into a statue thing. I know you just got released a few weeks ago, but really - this...listlessness isn't like you, Phantom. It isn't like you at all. The old Phantom, the one I knew...he would have just brushed the curse off, then continue to thieve and make a general nuisance of himself.''

''That was the old Phantom,'' his friend echoed quietly, his fingers clenching tightly around the book - so tightly that the skin of his knuckles turned white. ''And the old Phantom wouldn't have allowed himself to get cursed in the first place,'' he laughed bitterly. ''Frankly, Shadow, I didn't quite enjoy my little stint as a sculpture. Do you have any idea what it's like, to be a statue? Unable to move. Unable to speak. Unable to even breathe,'' he closed his eyes.

''I can't emphasise with you. I've never been turned into a statue before...and for two whole centuries, at that,'' the young man, whose name was Shadow, said slowly in response. ''I don't think I can even begin to imagine how you must feel now. But what I do know is that you have to pull yourself together. All you've been doing the past few weeks is just...well, nothing. You've been doing absolutely nothing, Phantom.''

''No. I've been reading,'' weakly, Phantom held his book up, showing the tome to Shadow, and at the same time using it to cover his face. Shadow just rolled his eyes in disdain, pushing the book out of the way so that he could meet Phantom's blue eyes. Those piercing blue eyes that Shadow hadn't seen in two centuries. He hated to admit it, but those two hundred years Phantom was gone...they were lonely years.

''Yes, indeed, you're reading. _A Classification of Herbs and Fungi. _It sounds like a fascinating book,'' Shadow glanced at the title on the cover of the tome. Phantom's brow furrowed in apparent confusion, before he glanced down at the title as well. Surprise flickered through his eyes, and it further proved Shadow's theory - that Phantom had been using the book as an excuse to not talk to him. It was a lousy excuse, in Shadow's opinion. Not that Phantom cared.

''Why did I even steal this?'' Phantom muttered, closing the book and placing it down on the table before him. ''Yes, I wasn't reading it,'' he sighed, noticing the look on Shadow's face. ''And no, you don't need to remind me that it was my bright idea to break into a royal library, in the first place. Anyway,'' Phantom slumped forward, placing his head on his arms, ''leave me alone,'' his voice was muffled. ''I don't want to talk.''

''Well, we need to talk,'' Shadow pulled the other boy up from the table. Phantom groaned in response, his bright blond hair falling over his forehead. He looked eighteen - both he and Shadow did. Eighteen was the age they had both made a deal...the deal that allowed them to stay alive and young, for the whole of eternity. The gift of true immortality and eternal youth. Something that most mortals would kill for.

''Go and talk to an ant or something,'' the blond boy groused, trying to jerk out of Shadow's tight grip. ''I just got released from a prison of stone, and I think I deserve the right to be left alone for a while,'' he covered his face with his hands. Shadow resisted the urge to snap at his friend, knowing that he was right - but Time waited for no one. Not even for immortals, like them. And they had absolutely no time to waste, now.

''You have to listen, Phantom. It's about our patron god,'' at those words, Phantom's head shot up, Shadow finally having managed to catch his attention. Though, Shadow had no idea whether that was a good thing, or bad. ''He has another task for us. We are to steal the jewel of Kharè, their precious treasure. The beautiful jewel Aria, which supposedly brings peace and prosperity to whomever can get hold of it.''

The jewel, named Aria. It was said to be an astoundingly beautiful jewel, of a clarity and loveliness so rare that it was worth an entire kingdom. Possibly more. No one knew what the jewel looked like, since the Kharè royals never showed it to anyone outside of their immediate family - but most people knew that Aria was a very recent acquisition, one the Kharè royals had obtained a mere eighteen years ago.

No one knew how Aria worked, or what it really did. But everyone knew the results that Aria could bring about - it had transformed Kharè, a kingdom infamous for its slums and thieves, into a peaceful, prosperous region within a mere five years. For the other thirteen, Aria had kept Kharè safe and wealthy - no army dared to invade it, for none wanted to risk the effects of Aria, being turned against their kingdom.

''Well,'' Phantom said after a slight pause, his blue eyes narrowing slightly, ''tell me, why should I steal anything for the man who turned me into a statue, in the first place?'' his blue eyes fixed unblinkingly on Shadow, making him feel faintly uneasy. He had forgotten just how intent Phantom's eyes could be - it was the look of either a determined man, or of someone who was simply demented. To be honest, Shadow felt that those eyes were quite...intimidating.

''Because he's the one who granted us our youth and immortality. And because, with just a snap of his fingers, he can take all of that away,'' Shadow answered simply. Phantom tensed, his blond hair whipping around his face as he glanced sharply away, clearly not wanting to think about that. ''Phantom, you know better than to question our patron god. Like you, I don't trust him. He cursed you, after all. But we can't just turn away from him and leave...''

''I know that,'' came the soft whisper. ''I heard you the first time. But I still can't do it,'' his long fingers tightened around the edge of his table. ''My strength hasn't fully recovered, and I can't go all the way to Kharè just to steal this jewel. It's too far away,'' he looked back at Shadow, his face expressionless. ''You just wanted to tell me that you're going to leave for Kharè, right?'' he asked. ''You need not have said anything. I doubt I would've even noticed your absence.''

Phantom knew him very well. A little too well, it seemed. ''Well, I just thought it would be better to tell you. Just in case something happens to me on the way to Kharè...like me turning into a statue or something,'' he tried to smile at his own joke, but Phantom didn't respond in any way to the statue comment, and in the end Shadow just sighed. ''I know in your present condition, you won't be able to go to Kharè...''

''This immortality...it is a curse,'' Phantom muttered. ''I can't even remember how many times I wished to die, while in that prison of stone. But, because we are immortal, I could not die. I could only stand there, still, unmoving, praying for some kind god to take pity on me and strike me out of my misery,'' he glanced up, meeting Shadow's violet eyes. ''There's no such thing as a kind god. Not even our patron god.''

''We have no one to rely on, in this world,'' was what Shadow said in reply. ''Our family...all our friends...they're dead. The only people left we can trust...are you and I. We can trust no one but each other, Phantom. Not even the God of Thieves, that's true,'' he laughed bitterly. ''We are reduced to mere immortal thieves, stealing whatever it is our patron god commands us to steal. But I'd prefer this life to dying, even so.''

Phantom coughed, a small smile curving his lips. Shadow smiled too, at the sight of that - the tiny smirk was so characteristic of Phantom, he could almost forget how much his friend had changed, while stuck in the form of a statue. ''Well, I'm not surprised you think that way. Did you ever regret...calling for our god, the day he granted us our everlasting lives? Sometimes, I do. But you never once did regret it, did you?''

''If we hadn't called for him that day, we would have died a wrong death, far before our time. And you know that, too. The main reason why we wanted to stay alive was for vengeance, remember? Now...we'll just have to find a way to make use of all our time. Time is something we have an unfortunate excess of, I suppose. It can get boring at times,'' Shadow grinned back, a wicked little grin. ''So what do you say? Shall we have some fun, then? You must be bored.''

Shadow and Phantom were both four hundred years old. Well, actually, they were four hundred and twenty-three, if they wanted to be exact. They had seen much of the world, and there were very few things they had yet to experience. It wasn't surprising that these two relatively young immortals got bored easily. ''I'm bored, but far too weak to do anything to alleviate the boredom,'' was Phantom's reply.

Shadow sighed. ''So I really must go to Kharè by myself, then,'' he drawled, slightly annoyed. ''And here I was, thinking we could finally have some fun together, again. After such a long period of inactivity...don't you miss stealing? At all?'' Phantom shook his head, his blue eyes darkening at those words, and Shadow tilted his head, curious. But he decided not to question why. ''Fine. But you'll have to go out, one day.''

Phantom and Shadow referred to each other as...well, Shadow and Phantom. They did not use their given names, nor had they done such a thing for...four hundred and five years. To them, their given names brought back memories they didn't want to recall. The names of 'Shadow' and 'Phantom' had been coined up by superstitious villagers, believing that the people behind all the mysterious thieving were actually spirits.

Phantom and Shadow found all this amusing. Some people respected them, a few were in awe of them, most sane people feared them, but no one had ever seen who they really were before. What they looked like. Well, none save for a lucky few - usually those who entertained the two of them a great deal. Then, Phantom and Shadow would reward those fortunate souls with a briefest glimpse of themselves.

It was easy to amuse Phantom and Shadow. It just depended on how amusing it was. Though, given Phantom's current depression, Shadow doubted that his friend would ever laugh again. ''I know I'll have to go out eventually. But right now, I'm just doing my best to avoid leaving our sanctuary,'' Phantom waved his hand lazily, indicating the spacious room they were in - a room literally heaving with wealth and riches.

This place was one of their many sanctuaries, a place where they could both relax and hide their most recent...acquisitions. Shadow shrugged, yawning again as his eyes roved the room. His gaze settled on a familiar diamond necklace, which he had tossed onto the floor near his bed. ''Phantom, you should've gone out with me last night,'' he shook his head. ''You should have heard her after I stole her little necklace. _Thief! Thief!_'' Shadow squealed, just like a little girl.

Phantom chuckled softly. ''Who did you steal it from this time?'' he asked, his fingers absently stroking the cover of the book he had put down. ''Lady Eliza Blackwater, is it?'' Shadow nodded gleefully, and a genuine smile curved Phantom's lips, in response. ''Oh, remember the time we stole the Blackwater ancestral heirloom, what, three hundred years ago? The lady then was hysterical. Just like Lady Eliza now, it seems.''

Shadow could remember precisely what he was talking about. One thing the two friends were both blessed with was an impeccable memory - they rarely forgot anything, and they could recall any event with remarkable clarity and accuracy. ''Ah, the Blackwaters. A family with ladies rather prone to overreacting, I would say,'' Shadow ran his fingers through his blond hair. ''Well. I should be off now, I suppose.''

''Good luck with that,'' Phantom tilted his head, his blue eyes darkening. ''Know what you said just now? About turning into a statue on the way to Kharè?'' his gaze held Shadow's, and Shadow found that he simply could not look away from that piercing blue gaze. ''You might want to be careful with what you say. You wouldn't want to be turned into a statue. It's no laughing matter, and I don't want to lose my only friend.''

Shadow blinked, shaking his head, then just shrugged Phantom's warning off. ''You don't need to worry about me,'' he said archly. ''When it comes to theft, I've never once failed, and this won't be any different. Kharè Palace...I've been there before, you know,'' he smiled. ''To steal their crown jewels. I know the layout of the palace well, so...I'll be back with the jewel Aria, before you can even say the word 'Shadow'.''

With that, Shadow disappeared, and Phantom shook his head, sighing heavily. _I hope he will be fine. He always has been much too arrogant about his abilities...and that might just lead to his own downfall, if he isn't careful enough._

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It took Shadow an entire week to travel all the way to Kharè. And that was saying something, given that Shadow could move at speeds much faster than the average human being could.

Then again, he and Phantom both were most...unlike mortals. True, they had once been mere humans, no different from anyone else on the streets - but that was before they had made a deal with their god. The God of Thieves and Mischief, who had granted them their youth and immortality...in exchange for doing his bidding, and stealing whatever it was the god wanted. It was a very easy life to lead, in all honesty.

But life could get rather...boring, at times. The only reason why Shadow and Phantom were still alive was because their god wished for them to be so. They both didn't have any godly powers to wreak havoc with - in fact, Shadow and Phantom were no different from anyone else...were it not for their immortality. Their god feared that, if Shadow and Phantom were granted any god powers, the results would not be...pretty. Their god was rather paranoid.

Shadow would never have used godly powers to destroy anything...well, maybe a town or two. If he was really bored. He never meant any harm, not really. Shadow was the kind of person who was hard to provoke, but he was dangerous if his anger was roused. But then, weren't most people like that? Sometimes, he would wonder what his life would be like, if he had been granted powers along with his immortality...

Not to say that he was as weak and helpless as the average human. Eternal life, and a naturally impeccable memory, brought their perks. As the state of immortality was in itself unnatural, he and Phantom both gained sharpened reflexes, as well as unusual speed - both mental and physical - along with that. Their speed and lightning-fast reflexes helped them greatly when they had to steal things. An advantage of being who they both were, he supposed.

Shadow hummed to himself as he ambled along the path - well, to him, he was ambling. If any other human had seen him, they would have thought that he was sprinting. His quickness was the closest thing he had to godly powers, and it was because of this speed that he could steal things so quickly, without ever getting caught or seen. He could go faster than he did now, but he didn't see the point, since Kharè Palace was rapidly coming within his sight.

If Phantom was here, they would have reached the palace a long time ago. Shadow was the one who preferred to relax and take his time - after all, they were immortals. Usually, they had plenty of time...time being one of the numerous luxuries they could afford. Phantom, on the other hand, was more cautious. He always had to finish his tasks as quickly as possible, since he didn't want to tarry and risk being caught.

Not that they ever got caught, with all their special little abilities. Shadow's mind began to race, formulating a plan to get inside the palace - he had to keep in mind that, even after he successfully entered Kharè Palace, he would have to find Aria. Gods knew where the royals had hidden their precious jewel. Shadow let out a sigh, thinking - there was a way, he supposed. But he didn't like the thought of doing that.

He could seduce one of the palace servants, and get her to lead him all the way to Aria. But this would take time - and, even though he had plenty of time to spare, he didn't like doing things he considered pointless. Sure, he had the rest of eternity to live, but that didn't mean he ought to squander all his time away, doing useless things. Besides, seducing a palace girl would require effort. Effort he was unwilling to waste. So...what should he do, instead?

Perhaps he could just wander around the palace until he somehow stumbled across Aria. He shook his head - no, that was a ridiculous idea. It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Kharè Palace was huge, he knew from personal experience. The only reason he was able to successfully steal their crown jewels, a decade ago, was because he had known where the royals stored them. But in this case...

He was going in blind. Blind as a bat. Though he did have an advantage in knowing the layout of the palace, he couldn't possibly just waltz into every single room, hoping to get lucky. Even he would get caught, if he spent that much time searching the whole area. The jewel Aria could be anywhere - for all he knew, it might not even be in a room. It could be buried in some secret vault in the palace grounds, or whatnot.

What should he do, then? He mused to himself, his mind drifting off as he neared the palace. In the end, he just decided to infiltrate the palace first, before he made further plans - the most important part was actually getting into the compound. Anything after that would be easily resolved. He glanced up - the imposing stone walls loomed over him, severe and forbidding as the last time he was here. Shadow smiled.

He was standing behind a tree, near the main gates of the palace. There was a single guard acting as a sentry there - he shook his head, feeling a little disappointed. Clearly, after the royals had gotten hold of Aria, they became arrogant...so cocky, so sure of their own power, that they had let the security of their palace slip. When he was here a decade ago, there had been guards stationed everywhere, outside.

Maybe the difference was due to the change in rulers. The old king and queen were dead now. Instead, their upstart of a son had taken the throne. From what Shadow heard, the new king of Kharè was lazy and complacent, and cared more for his own comforts than for his people. Which just pointed to the power of Aria, since that manner of king should not be able to rule a kingdom well enough to turn it into...this.

Peaceful. Wealthy. Prosperous. Shadow tilted his head, wondering whether he should steal Aria or not - he knew that, with the jewel gone, Kharè would fall into ruins, since they had such a pathetic man for a ruler. In the end, he just smirked, deciding to continue - the fate of this land was not one he had to care about. He was the immortal servant to his patron god, and he could ill afford to question the god's orders.

The sentry looked half-asleep, from here. This would be easy, he knew. Quickly, Shadow darted out from his hiding spot, slipping over to the culvert entrance, at the far wall. His lip curled in distaste - he hated using the culverts. But he didn't have much say in this matter, since he didn't want to try slipping past the sentry, even if the man was half-asleep. There was a reason why Shadow was named what he was.

Shadow. Because he was just like a shadow. He was the darkness in the light, something that people hardly ever noticed. He always did what he had to without anyone catching him, because he would never do anything which could allow someone to catch a glimpse of him. The moment he was done, he would take flight, the same way shadows diminished under bright light. That was who he was.

Silent, unnoticed, unnoticeable. Quick to come, and quicker to leave. Shooting one last look at the sentry, Shadow let his slender fingers curl around the metal grille of the culvert entrance. He considered himself lucky that there was only one person on guard, at the main gates - and that said man was practically unconscious. If this had been a decade ago, back when Kharè Palace had more guards...he shook his head.

No doubt, he would've gotten caught a long time ago, given that he was right here, out in plain sight. With one sharp tug, the metal screeching loudly in protest, Shadow yanked the grille out of its original position. The sentry jerked, the whine of metal scratching against stone clearly having woken him up. He took one sweeping look around the area, and Shadow held his breath, wondering if the guard would notice.

The guard missed him, instead settling back against the wall. Shadow let out his breath, darting into the damp darkness of the culvert - once he had squeezed himself into the narrow passageway, Shadow turned around, forcing the grille back into the entrance. Now, certain that he had covered his tracks, Shadow let himself slide down the culvert, deeper into the black darkness. He wondered if he should be afraid.

But he wasn't scared of what awaited him. He had never feared the dark. He was of the dark, after all. It was rather surprising, but using the culvert to get into a castle...it was the easiest way, usually. No one ever bothered to guard the entrance of a culvert - not only because it was usually quite smelly, but also because no one would expect a thief to use such a passageway. No matter how desperate the thief was.

Complacency was one of the main factors which led to Shadow always being successful, when he went to steal something. The complacency of the people he stole from, always believing that it was impossible for a thief to steal their possessions. The other factor was Lady Luck. Luck was very important, for thieves. Without luck, even the most skilled thief in the world would end up in a cell. Or dead. Either way.

The narrow passageway opened up into a bigger chamber, and Shadow slid out of the pipes, landing catlike on the ground. Now, he was within the palace itself - though he was, admittedly, stuck in the underground sewers - and he just had to figure out where Aria was being stored. There were other passages, leading off from this chamber, and he cocked his head, wondering which one to take.

He just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Thankfully, the chamber he was in was quite dry, considering that he was in a sewer system - but he didn't want to wander around in here for too long. There was the risk that he would end up stepping into some place knee-deep in human filth, and he didn't want to dirty his clothes any more than he already had. There were three passages to choose from...

One passage was emitting a foul reek, and he hurriedly decided against going down that path. Of the other two, one was covered in rather suspicious-looking sludge, while the other was dry. There appeared to be a slight breeze coming from the dry passage, and like any other sane person would have chosen, he felt that the dry path was the best option. Feeling determined, he set off down the dry corridor.

He knew that he was going down the right passageway when it started sloping upwards. As he followed the small tunnel, he could see a faint light, at the very end of the pipe - his lips curved into a smile. He had to be close to getting out of the sewage system. Idly, Shadow wondered what the state of his clothes were like now, and ultimately decided that he didn't want to know. The light was getting closer.

Then he came to the grille. Leaning across the tunnel so he wouldn't fall, Shadow reached up, pushing against the metal. At first, it refused to budge, but he pushed harder, until he finally heard the heavy grille lift slightly. Satisfied, he pushed it out of the way, carefully easing his head out of the pipe - to his relief, no one was around, and he hastily clambered out of the sewers. Once he was out of there, he used the tip of his boot to kick the grille back in place.

_My fair Lady Luck is on my side today, it seems. Things are going smoothly. _His nose wrinkled as he finally got to smell himself, outside of the sewers - well, everything was going smoothly, other than the fact that he now smelled like a penniless beggar who hadn't showered in months. But for now, he shoved his distaste to the back of his mind. He needed to find the jewel, then get out before he was caught.

Yet, where should he start looking? He looked around - he appeared to be near the throne room, if his memory didn't fail him. And, of course, he had a perfect, impeccable memory. Shadow promptly decided to leave this area, before anyone left the throne room and caught sight of him. Turning around, he darted through the passageway, making his way up to the treasury. He remembered it was on the top floor of the palace, two floors above this...

_No, don't go to the treasury. Go to the floor directly underneath it. There should be a single room there. _Shadow tensed, his eyes widening as he heard someone speaking to him. In his mind...an unfamiliar voice, so he knew that it could not be his god, this time. It was the voice of a girl, clear and quiet, and he wondered whether he had just imagined the whole thing. Because of fatigue, maybe?

_You are not imagining things, stranger. I really am speaking to you. Go the room directly beneath the treasury. You seek Aria, do you not? _At those words, Shadow's eyes narrowed - if he really wasn't just imagining this voice, then who did it belong to? The voice seemed to laugh quietly, in his head. _Who I am, stranger? Why, I'm the jewel you seek, of course. And I'm in the room directly beneath the treasury._

That startled him greatly. _You're...the jewel? Whoever you are? Then how can you..._his thoughts trailed off. The foreign voice in his head, the one who belonged to the girl, seemed to be rather amused by his confusion. Shadow didn't really appreciate that. He never had liked it whenever other people laughed at him.

_You don't know what the jewel can do, do you, stranger? I swear that I am not trying to lure you into a trap. I want to leave this place as much as you want to steal me from here._

He didn't know whether to believe that voice or not. But, in the end, he decided that he didn't have anything to lose - it wasn't like he had any leads to follow at the moment, anyway. And, if this really was a trap, he would know how to get away perfectly unscathed. People had yet to come up with a trap or ambush that Shadow was unable to escape from. _Fine. I'll believe you, whoever you are...but only this once._

He made his way over to the stairs - so far, he still hadn't met anyone in the palace. He found that rather strange, but in the end, he just shrugged it off. Suspicions lingered on in his mind - was Aria not a jewel? If so, how could a jewel speak to him? Those thoughts kept on running through his head, making him feel wary. On edge, like even the slightest bit of stimuli would make him lash out, hostile.

He got to the mentioned room without much trouble. There had been instances where he had to duck and hide - unlike the floor with the throne room, there were several servants wandering around, here. _Guarding the jewel Aria? _When they weren't looking, he darted swiftly across them, so quick that they missed him - then he would hide behind one of the marble pillars, patiently waiting for the next opportunity to dash out, across the floor.

Until he finally made it to the lone door, at the very end of the passageway. He could see it, right before him - two men were standing on either side of the wooden door, looking stern and forbidding. Guards, he knew. He had to wonder how he was going to get past them, especially since the door would most likely be locked. As he frowned, trying to come up with a plan, the girl's voice entered his head again.

_Those guards are blind. They're the guards of the jewel Aria, and the King does not allow anyone to lay eyes on the jewel...no one other than his immediate family members. The door will be unlocked for you, so don't worry about that. Do be careful, however - those guards have much, much better hearing than the average human. _Shadow blinked at those words, rather wary, but felt that he had no choice but to trust this...mysterious stranger.

So, softly, carefully, making as little noise as possible, Shadow slipped out from behind the pillar, approaching the door. He tensed, half-expecting the two guards to shout at him, at any moment - but, even after he went closer, the guards didn't react in any way. He noticed the milkiness of their eyes, blatantly realising that the girl was speaking the truth. The two guards were genuinely blind - they saw nothing.

_So the door really is unlocked, then. _Shadow weaved in between the guards, his hand creeping slowly to the doorknob. The guards, now on either side of him, had yet to notice that there was a stranger there. He twisted the knob - and, to his horror, a loud, creaking sound issued from the door. As if it protested against his intrusion. At once, the two guards whipped around, their milky eyes narrowing fiercely.

''Who goes there?'' one of them spat. He was bald, but there appeared to be the tattoo of a map of some sort, on that shiny head. ''Make yourself known!'' Shadow didn't know what to do, or how to react - he was frozen, thinking quickly, wondering how to get himself out of this mess. If he just entered the room now, no doubt the guards would know, and would follow him inside - the hinges seemed like they hadn't been oiled in a while. The door creaked.

''It is just me, Tobias,'' a soft voice issued from the other side of the door, startling Shadow. Tobias, the bald guard who had just spoken, blinked a few times, as though he was as surprised as Shadow was. ''I wanted to come out for some food. I was feeling hungry, and I didn't wish to trouble you or Damon again,'' the quiet voice continued. It was a familiar voice - the voice which had spoken in Shadow's mind.

The other guard - unlike his companion, he had a full head of brown hair - snorted. ''You know it's no trouble. In fact, getting more food or such are the only opportunities we have, to move away from our posts. Just because we're blind doesn't mean we can't run errands, you know.'' Shadow arched an eyebrow. It sounded like this man had an inferiority complex. Or the like.

The girl giggled. ''I know, Damon. Then would you both mind getting me something to eat? If you really want something to do, as you put it,'' the two guards mumbled something in assent, before both of them went off, away from the door. Shadow remained completely still, and they passed him without sensing his presence at all. He blinked. That was easy - but he had to wonder why the girl had helped him.

''Come in. Quickly, before they come back,'' the girl said, this time in a more urgent tone of voice. Shadow jerked out of his reverie, pushing the door open and entering the room. He was tensed, bracing himself for whatever it was which lay in store for him - but as his gaze fell on the inhabitant of the room, he paused, not quite able to believe what he was seeing.

Yes, the person was a girl, as he thought. She was sitting on a bed, her stormy blue eyes placid as she stared back at him. She had very long hair - he wasn't quite sure how to define the colour. Pink? Blonde? A mixture of both. Two small braids dangled on either side of her face, giving her an air of mystery. An enigma. She was very pretty, he had to admit that. Whoever this girl was. What was she doing in here?

He had never before been so close to a pretty girl - even back when he was really eighteen, he never had spoken to the maidens in his village much. Phantom was more of a ladies man, whereas he was the one who just stood in a corner, feeling unsure about what to do. Now, he didn't know how he was supposed to react to this situation without embarrassing himself. How was he supposed to talk to this girl?

''Where's the jewel?'' he asked, forcing himself out of his daze. It had been a long while since he talked to someone other than...well, his god. Or Phantom. Especially not to a girl...the girl just smiled, her expression peaceful and tranquil. For some reason, the calmness she exuded...it was affecting him. In a bad way. He was starting to get annoyed by her - why did she seem so relaxed and unhurried? Wasn't she worried that the guards would return?

''You seek Aria?'' she questioned. He recognised the voice - it left him with no doubt about who was the mysterious entity, speaking in his head earlier. He nodded tersely, and she just kept on smiling - his impatience seemed to roll off her, like she was an undisturbed, smooth pool of water. ''Then I am Aria,'' she said simply. ''I am the jewel of Kharè, and if I am really what you seek, take me away from here. Shadow, no?''

He jerked back. How did she...''How could you be Aria?'' he demanded, eyes narrowing. ''Isn't Aria supposed to be a jewel? You're...you're not a jewel,'' he spluttered. ''You're as human as I am!'' he glanced back, behind him, at the closed door - the guards could return at any moment. He wanted to leave with Aria before the guards could come back. It would be easier to escape from here if no one knew there was a thief.

''Ah. But you're not a human, are you, Shadow?'' she asked, closing her eyes as she sat in the lotus position. He stared at her, disbelieving - of all the times she could meditate, she chose now? When he needed information? When he had to flee as quickly as possible, to avoid being seen or caught? ''Humans don't live for so many years, you know,'' the girl continued placidly.

In a corner of his mind, he wondered how she knew who he was. He never told her that he was the legendary master thief Shadow, after all. But the larger part of him had been taken over by impatience. ''Stop playing with me and just tell me where the jewel Aria is,'' he snapped, raking his fingers through his hair. ''You must have had some kind of motive for helping me with the guards, out there. Right?''

Then his eyes widened. Because, right before his very eyes, the girl lifted a few inches off the bed, floating in mid-air. Levitating. Her blue eyes opened, piercing him, making him feel like she was reading his very soul. ''I had a motive,'' she agreed. ''I am Aria, as I have already told you. I want to leave this place. If you don't hurry up and escape with me, the guards will return. They are coming back now, as we speak.''

Shadow had no choice but to believe her. At the very least, he could confirm that she was no mere human - humans couldn't...float like that. ''How?'' he asked, looking nervously back at the door. Aria just smiled, then gestured at the window. Shadow shot her a look of disbelief. ''We're five floors above ground level,'' he said slowly, thinking that this girl didn't have any idea exactly which floor she was living on.

''I can catch you. I can hover, remember?'' she answered matter-of-factly, making him feel a little stupid. ''I just need someone to help me deal with the guards, in case we run into anyone on the way out of the palace. That's the only reason why I never tried to escape, before. I cannot fend off too large a group at once. Will you help me, Shadow?'' she asked, her blue eyes penetrating. He just swallowed, nodding.

What other choice did he have? He crossed over to the window - he didn't miss the way she wrinkled her nose, while he walked past her - and flung the window open. The winds blew into the room, making his blond hair whip around his face. Shadow then glanced back at the girl named Aria - she waved him forward. ''Jump first. I'll go after you. Don't worry, I won't let you die. You're my only way out, after all.''

Well, that was reassuring. Shadow took a deep breath - why did he care? He was immortal. He couldn't die - at most, he would just be badly injured. So, stepping up to the window sill, he hesitated for a second...before he jumped, free-falling into thin air. Remarkably, he found that he rather enjoyed this weightless sensation. For the first few seconds he had, before he saw the ground rapidly rushing up to meet his face.

He resisted the urge to scream, knowing that was a ridiculously embarrassing urge - then he felt something hook around the back of his coat, slowing his descent. He glanced behind him - there was Aria, holding on to his shirt, a look of distaste on her pretty face. ''How long has it been since you last took a shower?'' she asked, her voice betraying none of her disgust. Shadow felt a little affronted, for some reason.

The girl was clearly floating. He knew she was, because the ground wasn't coming closer...well, it was, but not as quickly as it had, five seconds ago. He wondered what other powers she had, besides levitation. If she was the jewel Aria...but why was she a jewel when she was, well, human? He wondered whether any guards had seen them floating outside the tower yet.

''Well, blame the bloody sewers,'' he replied, sounding a little breathless - he hadn't gotten over the possibility of grievous injury. Well, not yet, anyway. ''I had to use the sewers to get into the palace. It isn't my fault that there was a guard on duty. Even if that guard happened to be half-asleep,'' his voice trailed off into strings of unintelligible muttering. Aria coughed.

Suddenly, he noticed that his feet were on solid ground. The girl let go of his coat - and Shadow collapsed into a heap on the ground. ''Do not ever tell me to jump out of a window again,'' he gritted out. ''Not everyone here has powers of levitation, unlike...unlike whatever you are,'' the girl just smiled, and that infuriated him. ''I could have died, and you're just...you're smiling!''

''You wouldn't have died,'' she replied cheerfully. ''You're immortal, Shadow. You would have just suffered from grievous bodily harm,'' with that, she placed a finger against her lips, looking around quickly. ''Now, we better go before we get caught. This is my first taste of freedom in thirteen years, and I'm making the most of it. Come on!'' she slipped away from the wall.

Shadow trailed after her, though he did so somewhat reluctantly. His gaze kept shifting around, keeping a wary lookout for any guards - when he saw some, laughing and playing cards in a corner of the courtyard, he yanked on the girl's shirt, preventing her from taking a step out. ''The guards, over there,'' he whispered. ''We should go another way. To avoid them.''

Aria just stared back at him. ''This is the only way across the courtyard,'' she told him. ''From where we're at now, anyway,'' Shadow cursed quietly, and she shrugged. ''I'd say we wing it and pray that they don't notice us, unless you have some way of turning invisible. Because even I am not capable of doing that,'' she said, sounding a little helpless. He blinked at her.

''No, but I have something close,'' slowly, his lips tilted up into a smile. Before she could say anything, he carried her up into his arms, then darted across the courtyard, faster than the human eye could follow. The guards glanced up for a while, wondering whether they had just imagined the quick flash of blond they saw, in the courtyard - after a while, when nothing happened, they decided it was just an illusion.

Aria was blinking, her long, pinkish blond hair messed up. ''What just happened?'' she asked dazedly, as Shadow unceremoniously put her down. Shadow hid a smirk - she wasn't the only one around who had special abilities. Even though he couldn't float in mid-air, at least he could run fast. Faster than normal people. Now they were past the courtyard, it was simple enough to flee the palace. They just had to walk out past the front gates, and that was it.

Where would she be without him? No wonder she had decided not to escape on her own. She would have been caught within seconds of her escape - this was the sixth time Shadow had to stop her from impulsively dashing off. Each time, he had to tell her that there were guards nearby, and he had to figure out a way to get across without being seen by anyone else. She'd better be grateful, and not give him any trouble later. When he had to take her away...

''Nothing,'' he said dismissively. ''Shall we leave, then?'' his eyes narrowed. ''I have questions to ask you...Aria. And after that, there's a jewel that I'll have to present to my patron god.''

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''...so you're an orphan, then?''

Aria was huddled up opposite him, sitting on a small boulder. There was a sulky expression on her face, and Shadow wondered how someone as powerful as her could be so...childish.

''Yes. No. I don't know,'' she glanced at the ground, her long bangs hiding her pretty face. ''I already said, my mother died when I was five. I don't know about my father...but I might as well not have a father,'' she kicked a small pebble, and Shadow watched as the pebble rolled across the grass, coming to a stop before him.

''Why not?'' Shadow asked, curious. He stared at the pebble she had kicked - it was glowing with a radiant white light, and he wondered what that meant. He had no doubt that she was a very powerful girl - he just wanted to know why she had been locked away in Kharè Palace. If she was human, and not a jewel...how had she gotten herself sealed away, to begin with?

''My father is a god,'' came the quiet reply, making him freeze in disbelief. ''I don't even know which god,'' she continued, cupping her face in her hands. ''All I know is, the godly half of me is what gives me my powers. I can see into the future, and I can levitate. If I'm really concentrating, I can freeze animals and such,'' she pointed at a nearby rabbit, and it stopped in its tracks, silent and frozen. ''Like that.''

Shadow arched an eyebrow. ''Anything else? You said you can see into the future...how about the past? Things like that? Are you immortal, too?'' the questions poured forth, him curious about all the answers. He had heard of the existence of demigods before, but this was the first time he had come across one. She shrugged - Aria looked morose, and he wondered why.

''The past...sometimes, if I really concentrate. The future comes to me when I least expect it. Like I'm a seer, I guess,'' she shrugged again, waving her hand. The rabbit instantly unfroze, and it continued hopping away, as though nothing had happened. ''I can read minds too, you know,'' she added. ''That's how I knew who you are. I know your real name too,'' Shadow stiffened. ''But I know that's quite sensitive...''

''Don't ever address me by my real name,'' he warned her, his voice flat. She nodded - she must have already seen the reason why he hated his real name. Shadow sighed, leaning back to look up at the night sky. ''So, how did you get yourself locked up in there, in the first place?'' he asked her, his eyes fixed on the full moon. Phantom would be bored, by himself...

''I displayed signs of unnatural power, from the very moment I was born,'' she mumbled. ''It was common knowledge that, when I was nought but a baby, I managed to bend a spoon I had carelessly tossed onto the floor. The Kharè royals knew, too. They knew I had no relations other than my mother. So...once my mother died, they took me to the palace. I hated it there. They never gave me any freedom.''

''So you waited until you were older to leave? And...you decided to wait for someone to come and steal you away?'' Shadow asked, feeling a little confused. For the first time since evening had fallen, he saw a small smile flicker across her lips. She had a very nice smile, he noticed.

''I saw into the future,'' she answered simply. ''I saw you. I knew that, one day, you would come to rescue me from my prison. To take me to another place, somewhere better than the cell I had been sealed in. I knew that I could not escape without any guidance, since I know nothing of the outside world. My vision told me to wait for you to come for me. You came.''

He blinked, startled, before he slowly smiled. ''Well. Your visions are remarkably accurate then, aren't they?'' he murmured, yawning a little. The fire between him and Aria flickered, throwing orange sparks into the night sky. ''Look, Aria. I was ordered to...steal you. To give you to my patron god. He demanded you, you see. He...collects magical artefacts, like you. I took you from one prison to put you in another, and I'm...I'm sorry. About doing that to you.''

''Anywhere is better than that horrid cell,'' she mumbled, to his surprise. ''You don't know what it's like. I'm never allowed out of that room, you know. All my life...for thirteen years, those four walls were the only things I ever saw. Other than the sky, through my window. Sometimes, I looked out of the window to stare at the birds, and I couldn't help wishing I had wings too, so that I could fly out of there,'' she sighed.

He didn't know what to say. But he did know that he felt sorry for her. ''You know, you asked me about immortality, didn't you?'' she piped up, making him look back at her. ''I thought about it a lot. Immortality. I don't know if I really am immortal, but...the idea scared me. The thought of staying in that room forever, for the rest of eternity, without any escape...'' she laughed bitterly. ''It puts things in perspective. Makes you appreciate what little you have.''

''Immortality can be a gift, to some. Like me,'' he shrugged. ''I asked for it, which is why...I'm immortal,'' he looked away from the burning fire. ''But for others, like you, I suppose that it's a curse,'' he met her blue gaze. Aria regarded him silently, her long hair pooling around her. He was struck by how pretty she was, and he looked away again, not knowing how to react.

''You know...you're not that bad,'' he heard her say. ''When I first saw you, you seemed really impatient...prickly. Someone hard to get along with. But...I guess you're all right, after all,'' silence fell between them for a while. Then she spoke again. ''I don't mind leaving with your god. But I'd like to visit my mother's grave just once, before we set off. Could we do that?''

He couldn't say no to such a simple request. ''We'll go tomorrow, then,'' he decided, his gaze darting towards her. ''Be careful, though. The Kharè royals are bound to be looking for you, so we can't afford to slip up in any way. After we visit your mother's grave, though, we leave. Okay?'' he received a nod in response, and he turned away, satisfied with that answer.

''Good night, Shadow,'' she murmured, as his gaze returned to the full moon. ''You're a decent man, even though you're a thief. Maybe I was right to follow my vision, and wait for you.''

''Good night, Aria,'' was all he said in response, not quite knowing what was this emotion he was feeling. He didn't hear any response, and he was certain that the girl had went to sleep. It was only then that he looked back at her. She looked tired, exhaustion etched all over her pretty face, and he felt a little...guilty for that.

Ever since they escaped from the palace this afternoon, he had been dragging her along with him, throughout this forest, until he was sure that no one would be able to find them. There were leaves stuck in her hair, and scratches from where all the twigs and branches had brushed against her. He didn't think that she deserved to suffer this way - no one with that sort of childhood deserved to suffer at all.

He was like her, sort of. But at least he had Phantom with him...he had always had Phantom by his side. This girl, Aria, had no one. He knew the feeling of having no freedom, of being kept around solely because he was useful. Not due to love or affection - because he was simply an object, a tool to be used. She reminded him of himself, and it was starting to get to him.

With a sigh, Shadow rose from where he was sitting, walking over to her. Taking off his coat, he draped it across her body, covering her like a blanket. Protecting her from the chill of the night. Earlier, he had washed his coat and shirt in a nearby river, though there was little he could do about his trousers without betraying Aria's modesty. Aria had protested enough when he took his shirt off, in front of her.

Tomorrow, they would go and visit her mother's grave. Then he would call out for his patron god, saying that he had fulfilled his task. After that, he would return to Phantom, who he knew would be missing him, even if the master thief refused to admit to that. They were more than just best friends - Phantom had saved him, and given him a new lease of life. Likewise, he had saved Phantom on more than one occasion.

They were each other's saviours and benefactors, and their bond ran deep. Brothers not in blood, but in soul. He glanced at the sleeping girl again, not liking the unidentified emotion he could feel in his heart - there was pity there, and empathy, and something else he didn't quite...understand. He put that aside, returning to his own side of the fire. Sitting on the ground, he stared up at the moon again.

There would be no sleep for Shadow tonight. He had to keep watch for people...and anyway, he didn't think he could relax enough to sleep.

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''Where's your mother's grave, exactly?'' Aria glanced around to meet Shadow's gaze. The blond boy - he didn't appear to be any older than her, though she knew that was untrue - stared back at her, looking a little tired.

''At the outskirts of Kharè,'' she answered, her heart twisting in fear at the thought of going anywhere near that place. She didn't want to risk being caught, and being taken away to the palace again. But, a thought soothed her troubled mind - for she knew that Shadow would not allow her to be taken away. Not because he loved her, or anything like that.

Simply because the man did not allow himself to fail. Ever. He had stolen her so that he could present her to his god, and he would see that through. Failure was not a word which existed in Shadow's world. She had read enough of his mind to understand that much about him.

He had a troubled past, and the demons which haunted him had yet to let go. It had taken her a great deal of effort to climb past his mental walls - he was very wary and suspicious, and she had almost been unable to read his mind. Which was very strange, for her. She persisted though, for she had been very curious about her apparent...saviour. A master thief. Shadow.

After she broke down his mental shields, taking a look at his past, at all his reasons to be, she started to wish that she had never looked. She always thought that her life was terrible, in its own way - she was a slave, unable to run away. Unable to feel freedom. But Shadow...slowly, she glanced at him again. He wasn't looking at her, his violet eyes blank and distant.

Shadow's life had been far worse than hers. It made her feel like a whiny brat, complaining about having to eat bread and not cake when elsewhere, children were dying from lack of food. She didn't say anything about his past, nor did he mention the life he had once led, so they both kept quiet...sometimes, she wondered what the man was thinking. She didn't want to read his mind again. Not anymore.

''I was wondering,'' Shadow said, his gaze flicking back to meet hers - Aria swallowed, hoping he hadn't noticed that she was already looking at him - ''how did you help Kharè? Your powers are...formidable,'' he acknowledged, ''but I don't see how they could help Kharè prosper, the way it does now. After all, you do not bring wealth or luck wherever you go.''

''I read minds,'' she responded, thinking back to her duties as the jewel. As Aria, the precious treasure of Kharè. ''Whenever someone like a trader or diplomat came...I read their minds. I found out all their dirty little secrets, all the skeletons they had in their closet. Everyone has a dark, hidden secret of some sort, you know? And then, the Kharè royals would...blackmail them,'' she laughed bitterly. ''It was stupid.''

''So Kharè achieved peace and prosperity solely through blackmail and such, and not because you brought...luck, or likewise?'' Shadow said, sounding thoughtful. ''And, of course, with riches and wealth comes law and order...'' he shook his head. ''Well,'' he said bluntly, ''they're most certainly smart, I can't deny them that.''

His violet gaze was piercing. Aria looked away, somehow feeling like...he was condemning her. Though she knew he wasn't. Maybe it was just because she was sensitive about him...because she liked him. She couldn't help it, could she? She had always liked him - ever since she was an eight year old child, she had liked him. The vision of him, coming to rescue her...she had been having that vision for a decade already.

She fell for the man she saw in her vision. He seemed so much older when she was a child, this blond man who would come to save her. The handsome man with the mournful violet eyes. Now, they were the same age, and he didn't look so...old, anymore. He looked young. He was anything but young. But he looked like he was no older than she was. Eighteen.

But she couldn't tell him that. It would be very embarrassing, especially since he had taken her just so he could present her to his god. Not because, the way she had fantasised as a child, he had visions of her too, and wanted to save her so that they could live happily ever after. Those thoughts were stupid, but they had kept her sane throughout her long incarceration. Hopes and dreams...that he would come.

She tried her best to dislike him. He was very impatient with her, at first - he didn't believe that she was who she said she was. But last night, when he had asked her questions about her past, about who she was...he had shown a more tender side. A more caring, thoughtful side that she didn't expect a master thief to possess. That confused her. He confused her.

And he had covered her with his coat, last night. What did that mean? Did he like her? Or was his care for her simply because she was a treasure he was going to give to his god? She didn't know, and she didn't want to get her hopes up. She knew Shadow's personality - even if she told him that she had feelings for him, that wouldn't stop him from giving her away.

He wasn't the prince she had imagined him to be, when she was a child. He was different, but all the more intriguing for that difference. She had once thought her future saviour to be perfect, her knight in shining armour. But he wasn't. He was, despite his immortality, clearly human. He had flaws and weaknesses, just like she did, and she couldn't help wondering about all those flaws. Why he was this way now.

Shadow was kind to her. But only because she reminded him of himself, she knew. She could sense emotions, on a certain level, and when she had been telling him about her life last night...a strong surge of sadness and guilt had come from the man, like he was recalling something he didn't quite want to remember. She didn't know why, since she had elected not to read his mind. But she wondered about it.

''We're almost there,'' she said quietly, and she knew Shadow looked up - Aria was so aware of his presence that she could sense his every move. Like he was attached to her. She focused on the road ahead of her, though - she was about to visit her mother. The woman she hadn't seen in so long...thirteen years. She hadn't visited her mother's grave for so long.

SeeU, her mother was called. She was a lovely maiden, though she was poor. Lovely enough that she had caught the attention of one of the gods. Aria could remember what her father looked like, still - he had visited frequently when she was a little girl. Those visits had stopped after she was taken to Kharè Palace. But she still remembered everything.

Her mother was frail and sickly, despite her beauty. Shortly after Aria's fifth birthday, her mother had come down with a serious illness, and after a few weeks of struggling against the disease, SeeU passed away. Aria swallowed at the memory, not wanting to think about her mother's death - she had been so young then, no more than a child. She didn't understand that her mother was dead, then. What it meant.

She and Shadow were taking the long way to the cemetery, around the main capital of Kharè - which was, incidentally, called Kharè as well. It would be much faster to just cut through the city, but neither of them wanted to be caught. Shadow also had a strange dislike of being seen by people, which was another reason why the man insisted on taking the long way around.

They were almost at Kharè cemetery. Shadow seemed to walk a little faster, so that he caught up with Aria. ''I know what it's like, to have your only remaining kin die,'' he whispered. ''I was like you once, you know,'' his lips tilted up into a pained smile. ''But I guess that Life and Death...it's all a cycle. If people don't die, new people can't be born, you know? People like me, who don't age, who don't die...we're unnatural.''

Did he sense that she was upset? Was he trying to comfort her? Aria didn't know. ''Don't say that about yourself. For all I know, I might be as unnatural as you are,'' she laughed quietly. ''I just...I just want to see my Mama again,'' she whispered, looking up into the bright blue sky. The sky was the same colour as her mother's eyes, as her father's eyes...''I wonder if there's a Heaven. If she's there now. With Papa.''

''Maybe she is,'' to her surprise, Shadow reached out, squeezing her shoulder gently. Instantly, warmth flooded her face, and she turned away so that he couldn't see it. The plaits on either side of her face swung back and forth as she walked, effectively hiding her face. ''You know, after I...'' he hesitated, ''after my god takes you to his home, maybe you can ask him about your father. He might know who the god is.''

''Perhaps,'' was all she said in reply. She came to a stop, both of them staring up at the black metal gates of the cemetery - after hours of walking, they had finally arrived at their destination. ''My mother is in there,'' Aria said, turning to look at Shadow - thankfully, her blush had faded. He nodded, pushing the gates of the cemetery. They swung open, and he stepped aside for her, letting her inside. She exhaled.

Then, Aria took a step inside the place. Shadow followed her, closing the gates behind him, and Aria walked forward into the sacred ground. There were plenty of headstones scattered all over the place, but there was only one she was interested in. Even after thirteen years, she still recalled where her mother was buried...after a while, she reached her mother's grave. She stopped, staring at the weathered headstone.

_SeeU, _the headstone proclaimed. There was an epitaph carved onto the grey stone - who had composed it? She didn't know. It had always been there, and now she reached out, tracing her fingers along the worn inscription. _She is gone, but not forever. Our love will blossom, till then she slumbers. _Perhaps her father was the one who had carved those words. The words were that of a man pining for his wife.

Aria dropped to her knees, before the headstone. ''Mama,'' she whispered, sudden tears flowing down her cheeks, dropping onto the earth. Grass and flowers had already grown over SeeU's grave, but Aria didn't think her mother would mind that - she recalled that SeeU loved nature and flowers. She always told Aria to respect nature. If she protected nature, nature would one day protect her, as well.

''You know, I'm all grown up now, Mama,'' she said, stroking the headstone. ''I'm eighteen. And I'm going to visit the gods,'' she smiled through her tears. ''Maybe I'll find Papa. Maybe you'll be up there, too. Maybe we'll be together again. I miss you, Mama,'' she whispered, bowing her head. She felt a cool hand, rubbing her back reassuringly, and she knew it was Shadow. She knew that he was trying to comfort her.

Shadow didn't quite know what to do. He was unused to the act of comforting a person - after all, he was not someone who interacted much with people. There was only once when he ever had to comfort a person. That person was Phantom, and till this day, Phantom was still moping over everything he had lost. Ever since he stopped being a statue, the thief had been...well, depressed was one way to put it.

It was just that, this girl was so sad...she was so much like him that he couldn't just stand by and do nothing, while she suffered. He didn't want someone to experience the same things he did, without anyone by their side to console them. He knew how that felt, and loneliness...it was a curse, in a way. Loneliness was only a blessing after a long while, after someone got used to it. Grief and loneliness were curses.

They remained there, silent, in the company of each other. Aria hiccuped, her eyes never once straying from the headstone. Though she did her best to ignore Shadow's arm around her shoulders, she couldn't deny that it affected her - she was touched by his concern for her, even though she was a girl he had met only yesterday. She knew that he cared only because her past was like his, in a way...but she was thankful.

''You should smile more, you know,'' Shadow murmured from next to her. ''Smiling makes you look nice. But not only that...when you smile, it makes you feel better, too. I know, when you're sad, smiling is the last thing that you ever want to do...but smiling, pretending to be happy, will lead to the real thing in the end,'' he regarded her closely. She turned to look at him, trying to make her lips tilt upwards.

He noticed, and a small smile curved his lips at her pathetic attempt to seem happy. He reached out, and Aria froze as his fingers brushed lightly against her cheeks, brushing her tears away. ''There,'' he whispered, ''you look better now. I'm sure that, wherever she is, your mother wouldn't want to see you cry. It's been so long since you last saw the outside world. Shouldn't you be happy? Relieved? Don't cry, Aria.''

She nodded jerkily, reaching up to rub the rest of her tears away. ''You know, Shadow,'' she started, deciding on the spur of the moment that she had to get her feelings off her chest, ''I really want to know...what do you think of me?'' she asked, meeting his violet eyes. He blinked, looking startled by the question, discomfort starting to fill his gaze. He looked away.

''Well...you're pretty,'' was all he muttered, his blond fringe covering his face. Aria frowned - she didn't want to know that. She wanted to know what he really _thought _about her. Maybe something of the idealistic child she once was still lingered in her, but she couldn't believe that this man didn't have any feelings whatsoever for her. Not when she had so many visions of him, in the past. So many dreams. Hopes.

''I don't want to know whether or not you think I'm pretty,'' she said sharply. ''I want to know whether you like me, Shadow,'' he glanced up at her, panic flickering through his violet eyes. ''And no, don't think you can tell me that you like me as a friend,'' she added, before he could say anything. ''We haven't known each other long enough to be friends. Are you attracted to me? At all? In any way? Shadow...tell me.''

''Isn't this a little too...forward, Aria?'' he said abruptly, withdrawing from her. ''You know that I'm much older than you. And anyway, you don't even know who I am. You don't know that much about me, do you? I...'' Shadow folded his arms, glaring down at the ground. ''I don't see any need for me to answer your question. If you really want to know the answer, why don't you just pull it out of my mind?'' he muttered.

''Because I respect your privacy enough that I don't want to read your mind,'' came the cool reply, making him glance back at her. She was gazing at him, those stormy blue eyes still a little watery-looking. But they were intent and penetrating as ever, and he was feeling rather intimidated by that stare. ''Don't you like me?'' came the soft whisper. ''Not even a little bit?''

_Being trapped in a room really puts things in perspective, _he heard her say, in his mind. Like when he first entered Kharè Palace, to search for Aria. _You never know how much time you have, you know. It's always best...to grasp the opportunity, so that you don't have any regrets when you finally have to leave. And I want to know. Do you like me? I just need to know, before you...before you summon your god._

''Why?'' he asked aloud, raking his fingers through his hair, feeling frustrated. Not only at her, but also at himself - he was stunned by her question, and he had no idea what his answer ought to be. Did he like her, in the way she was asking for? He...he wasn't sure. She reminded him of himself, as a child. That he was certain of - but did he feel romantically for her? He never focused on that issue. Why should he?

''Because I like you!'' Aria's words were fierce. ''You...ever since you appeared in my first vision, when I was a little girl...'' she glanced away from him, back at her mother's grave, ''I kept seeing you, and I couldn't help falling for you. You were my knight in shining armour, the prince who was supposed to rescue me from everything. From my cell, from my loneliness, from all the grief and pain. It was...stupid.''

He didn't know what to say. Her stormy blue eyes were fixed on her mother's headstone, like she could see something he couldn't. ''I know that, to you it's only been less than a day since you saw me. But for me...I've seen you for ten years, you know. Coming to rescue me. It was a silly wish, a foolish dream, but I thought that my saviour would love me too. I thought he would save me because he loved me. I guess...I guess I was wrong,'' she mumbled sadly.

''Aria...'' he was still stunned. Shadow shook his head. ''I don't know what you want me to say,'' he admitted. ''There's no point, even if I tell you how I feel about you. My god is going to take you away. There's no point in saying anything now, because even if I love you or anything...we can't be together, you know,'' he tried to make her understand. ''All right? So...so maybe we can pretend this whole thing never happened -''

''Nero Akita,'' came the soft growl, the name making him freeze, ''I don't actually care about whether or not we can be together. This is the only thing I want before I leave, and probably never have the chance to see the mortal world again. If you love me, then tell me!'' Aria met his shocked gaze, her eyes flinty. Determined. ''Ever since Mama died, no one told me they loved me,'' she said softly. ''Please? Tell me.''

''I...'' he coughed. ''I thought I told you not to call me using my real name,'' he muttered, unable to get angry at the girl who was so much like his younger self. She didn't respond, instead just staring at him, waiting for an answer of some sort. Shadow searched himself, wondering what the answer to her question was. Did he love her? The foreign emotion that he didn't know, that he didn't recognise...what was it?

''I think I might love you,'' was what he finally chose to say, not wanting to keep her waiting, but not wanting to disappoint her either. After all, he wasn't exactly certain. He had only known her for a day - how could he possibly be sure? The girl's stormy eyes lightened, and before he could do anything, she leant forward, kissing him on the cheek. Shadow froze, not knowing how to react in this kind of situation.

''Thank you,'' she whispered. ''Even if that was only a lie, it means a lot to me,'' she drew back from him, a warm smile on her face. ''You can summon your god now,'' she told him, as he met her stare dazedly. ''I have no more regrets. So I can leave this world behind, if you want.''

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''Luki Megurine, I summon you to human form,'' Shadow murmured, staring up at the sky. Aria was standing behind him, and unconsciously, Shadow's fingers drifted to his cheek.

There was silence for a while. A few seconds later, there was a flash of bright light, and the God of Mischief and Thieves had appeared before them. Luki Megurine, the patron god of thieves and robbers. He was tall and handsome, with dishevelled pink hair and icy blue eyes. Shadow bowed in deference to the god, who simply nodded in acknowledgement. ''I take it that you have found what I requested for?''

Shadow nodded, glancing back at Aria. The girl was gaping at Luki - the pink haired god met the girl's gaze, his lips slowly curving into a smile. He held his arms out, and with a rather uncharacteristic squeal, the girl rushed forward, throwing herself at the God of Thieves. Shadow blinked at the unexpected sight, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. What was going on?

''Papa!'' Aria said happily, clinging on to Luki. The latter had his arms wrapped around the eighteen year old girl, holding her like she was someone precious to him. Shadow's eyes widened at what she called him - _Papa?_

''This man is your father?'' Shadow spluttered, wondering if the Fates were playing some kind of stupid joke on him. Aria looked back at him, nodding gleefully, her pinkish-blonde hair bouncing along with her. _Pinkish-blonde..._his gaze went to Luki's hair. Luki's _pink _hair.

''Thank you for finding my daughter, Shadow,'' Luki said graciously, tweaking Aria's nose. The girl giggled, leaning her head against his chest. Shadow just continued staring, thinking that he was dreaming. ''Ever since her mother died...I'm afraid I lost myself a little,'' he shrugged. ''And then my child got taken away. I cannot interfere directly in human affairs, so...I waited. And I sent you to retrieve her, knowing you would.''

''Why didn't you just tell me she was your daughter?'' Shadow demanded, shaking his head slowly. ''Or that she was human?'' he added. ''I was under the impression that Aria really was a jewel! If I had known that you sent me to retrieve your daughter, I...'' _I wouldn't have allowed her to kiss me, for fear that you would hack me into hundreds of pieces._

''I decided to let Fate run its course,'' the god replied mysteriously. ''Aria is fond of you,'' he explained, noticing the confused look on Shadow's face. ''That was no mere coincidence. Fate ties you together, you know. I can see the strands - from the very moment of her birth, she was linked to you. You complete my little girl,'' Luki ruffled Aria's hair. ''No matter how much it pains me to say so,'' he added sourly.

_Oh. _''Well...'' Shadow turned away, shoving his hands in his pockets. ''Have a happy little reunion then, I guess,'' he mumbled, walking away. Before he could get very far, he felt a hand tugging on his coat. He glanced around - there was Aria, a small smile on her face.

''Don't go yet,'' she murmured. ''I still haven't gotten my answer, you know. The real answer. The one deep in your heart,'' she reached out, placing a hand against his chest, making him stiffen. He slanted his eyes towards Luki - the god let out an exasperated sigh, but looked away from the two of them. Shadow winced.

''I-I...'' he stuttered. ''I suppose I do?'' he smiled weakly, not quite knowing what to say. He knew that he cared for the girl. Was that love? He didn't care for anyone the way he cared for Aria, despite having known her for only a short period of time. Certainly, he didn't feel the need to protect and cherish Phantom, the way he did Aria. ''Yes, I do,'' he said slowly, but more certainly this time. Aria's eyes widened.

Then she leant up to kiss him. He kissed back - uncertainly at first, but after he got used to the sensation of someone's lips against his, he became more forceful, his arms looping around her waist, pulling the girl against him. This went on for a few more seconds before an invisible force pried them apart, throwing Shadow into a nearby tree. He groaned.

''Papa!'' Aria huffed, turning around to glare at her father. The god blinked, looking deceptively innocent as he shrugged. Aria then went to Shadow, the man she had loved ever since she was a child. Her hand went up to her lips - her first kiss, and it was as good as she imagined it would be. Her lips curved up. ''Shadow? Nero? Are you...are you all right?'' she asked him.

''I'm...I'm fine...'' the blond man groaned again. ''No broken bones, at least,'' he tilted his head, glaring at the God of Thieves. ''Didn't you say that I completed your daughter?'' he asked. ''Why are you against me kissing her, then?''

''You can kiss her,'' the god shrugged. ''Just not in front of me. I haven't seen my precious in thirteen years - I get protective, you know,'' he said matter-of-factly, as though that in itself served as sufficient explanation. Shadow resisted the urge to roll his eyes - yes, the god sounded idiotic, but he would rather stay alive than lose his life while proving a point.

''Now that we have a nice happily-ever-after,'' the god continued, ''perhaps you should go and see Phantom?'' the god frowned briefly, and Shadow knew that Luki was worried, even if he didn't say it verbally. ''He has been...moping. I don't like it. Something is about to happen soon...something I know I'm not going to like,'' he shook his head. ''I can sense it coming.''

''I'll handle Phantom,'' Shadow sighed. ''Again. If you hadn't turned him into a statue...'' he turned to Aria - it was going to take him a while to get used to this. Having a companion other than Phantom. But, if what Luki said was right, and he completed her...then he would just have to get used to this. He did love her, after all. He supposed. Yes. He did. Love her, he meant.

''So does this mean...you don't have to go with Luki?'' he asked. Aria glanced at her father, and the god shook his head, an indulgent smile on his face. Shadow smiled. ''Well. That's good.''

Aria grinned back. ''We have so much to learn about each other! But first,'' her eyes narrowed at him, ''you're going to have to tell me all about that blue haired girl who kept popping up in your memories. Who is she?'' she demanded, her blue eyes filled with suspicion. Shadow blinked, before his warm smile slowly turned sly.

''Someone,'' he shrugged, enjoying taunting her. Aria stared at him, and he fidgeted. ''Really. Ask your father. He knows precisely who she is,'' with that, Shadow took off, away from the cemetery, knowing that she would give chase. Sure enough, he heard the sounds of someone running after him, laughing hysterically.

''I waited thirteen years for you, Shadow, and damn you if I let you run away from me!'' he could hear her shouting after him, as he weaved his way through the graveyard. Luki called after them, telling them not to be so disrespectful towards the dead - out of the corner of his eye, Shadow saw a bright flash of light, and he knew the god had departed.

Shadow's smile turned more genuine, as he continued running away from Aria. _Well, I can only hope you'll succeed in catching me. Because I'm tired of always being alone, too._

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_**Solitaryloner: **__And this one shot is done! It is currently not beta-read, so please excuse any stupid grammar errors or whatever. I'll look through and edit when I have the time._

_It's rushed. It's not good. I know, I know. It's so rushed. Kill me now. But review before you kill me. Because reviews are...like Resurrection in Temple Run, you know? They keep me alive so that you can kill me how many times you want. I know it's rushed *hides in corner*_

_I hope you like this, LunarMoonWater. Even though it's not as great as I thought it would be. I swear it sounded better in my head._

_I suck. Omg I suck so bad. Why is this story so long anyway. Sorry I'm on crack now. I suck. I'm also kind of depressed right now. I suck._


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